August 5, 2016

Dear Mankato West students and families,

With the 2016-17 school year just four weeks away, I look forward to students returning and filling the halls of
Mankato West High School with their amazing energy, great personalities and awesome Scarlet Pride! The
purpose of this letter is to provide information about back to school events at West this fall. There are a few
changes from previous years, so please review this letter carefully and feel free to call the school with
questions.
The Back to School Kickoff Days will be August 24 and 25. This is an opportunity for students and parents to
take care of schedule corrections, school pictures, work permits, parking passes, lunch paperwork, activity passes
and textbook checkout.
NEW THIS YEAR: We will be checking out Chromebooks to high school students (grades 9-12)
during Kickoff Days. In order to balance the flow of device checkout lines, we strongly encourage
students to pick up their device during their scheduled time in the document linked below.
Mankato West Chromebook Pickup Schedule:

http://tinyurl.com/westchromebook

If you are not able to attend during your scheduled time, please come when you can and we will do our
best to fit you in. We will also be distributing devices during Open House on August 31 from
6:30-8:00 p.m. for students who could not attend Kickoff Days. Your family will receive additional
information in the next few weeks about filling out all of the required forms for device pickup
in advance through the Infinite Campus Portal, so that your student will be able to pick up their
device during Kickoff Days with or without a parent present. Filling out the forms in advance will also
speed up the device pickup process. If the online chromebook registration is not complete, parents will
need to accompany their student in order to receive a device.
On Monday, August 16, the Infinite Campus Portal will be opened for students and parents to view academic
schedules. Schedules may not be finalized at this time, so please hold questions about student schedules
until Kickoff Days. If you do not have internet access to the portal, computers will be available in the main
office to print a copy of your student schedule during Kickoff Days.
Should there be mistakes or if you have requests regarding your schedule, counselors will be available at
West High School to help answer questions and make adjustments on August 24 and 25 from 8:00 a.m. to
1351 SOUTH RIVERFRONT DRIVE, MANKATO, MN 56001 507.387.3461 FAX 507.345.1502 www.whs.isd77.org
Assuring Learning Excellence and Readiness for a Changing World

4:00 p.m. In making requests, please remember a few important details. Since the master schedule has been built
with all students requests in mind, schedule changes are discouraged and will only be approved, pending the
availability of space, for the following reasons:
(flip letter over)
The following are regarded as justifiable reasons for
schedule change requests:
1. To correct computer error.
2. To correct graduation deficiencies.
3. To make necessary changes due to summer school attendance.
4. To resolve scheduling conflicts.
5. To provide for placement in Special Ed. classes or to implement
a student's I.E.P.

Schedules WILL NOT be adjusted for the

following reasons:
1. Preference for a different teacher.
2. Preference for a different period or term.
3. Preference to be with friends in class.

The form for student pictures is available at the following link: http://tinyurl.com/westphoto Please print and fill out the
picture form and bring it with you to Back to School Kickoff Days. Extra paper copies of the picture form will be
available in the Media Center. Along with Kickoff Days, pictures will also be available during Open House Night.
Picture retakes are scheduled for Friday, September 16, 2016.
Open House Night will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 31 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Open House provides students an
opportunity to walk through the building with their schedule, locate classrooms and lockers, and meet teachers.
Families of 9th grade students and families of students new to the district are invited to join me for an
Overview of West High School meeting in the auditorium from 6:30-7:00 p.m. We will have device pickup
available during Open House for students who didnt pick up a Chromebook during Kickoff Days.
All 9th grade families should have received a mailing with information about the Link Crew Freshmen Orientation day
on Wednesday, August 31. The purpose of this orientation is to ensure the transition from middle school to high school
is a positive one. All 9th graders will be receiving their class schedules and will be taking their school pictures at this
event. 9th grade students should report to the Mankato West High School gymnasium at 8:00 a.m. on August
31 for Link Crew activities. Please call the school with any questions.
School begins Tuesday, September 6, 2016! The first day will begin with an all-school assembly in the auditorium.
Students are asked to report directly to the auditorium at 8:10 when the first bell rings. Census forms, student IDs, bus
passes, health forms, and lunch PIN numbers will all be taken care of in your first period classes, which will begin
immediately after the assembly.
I am honored to serve as your principal and look forward to seeing you at our back to school events!
Sincerely,

Dave Lutz, Principal

Mankato West High School

Summary of Dates/Times
What

For Whom

When

Why

Back to School
Kickoff Days

All students entering

grades 9 - 12

Wed August 24 and Thurs

August 25 from 8:00 a.m.
to 4:00 p.m.

Take care of back to school

items, i.e. pictures, schedule
corrections, payments,

textbooks, Chromebooks, etc.

Link Crew
Orientation

Students entering 9th

grade

Wed August 31 from

8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

*Additional information about

Link Crew mailed separately

Open House
Night

All students entering

grades 9 - 12

Wed August 31 from

6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Walk through West, meet

teachers, locate classrooms
and lockers